Rose Potter, Heiress of Slytherin
by Proud Ravenclaw Girl
Summary: Harry Potter was a twin sister, Rose Potter. The twist: Lily Evans is a descendant of a squib from the Slytherin family, so Rose was born a parselmouth. This story will get darker throughout her years at Hogwarts.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns the wonderful Harry Potter series and the characters, places... I do not. Since this story has only an OC added, not much will change, except for when she is older and will make a bigger impact on the story line. In other words, some people will be saying and doing the same things as they do in the books.

Warning: This will be Americanized. I am from the US and therefore speak and write a different type of English than what is used in the UK. If anyone feels inclined to make it more British, let me know because if I tried that, I would probably fail at it.

Now that that is out of the way, on with the story and be nice; this is my first one.

* * *

_The tongue of snakes will appear again._

_Her father from the House of lions._

_Her mother will have the power that has been dead in her line for centuries._

_She will be born in dark times._

_Her twin brother will be hailed the Chosen One._

_She will have powers that have not existed for many centuries._

The prophesy a Seer gave Ember Slytherin, Squib ancestor of Lily Evans, in 1622.

* * *

"Vernon!" Petunia Dursley screeched on November first, 1981 after opening her front door and seeing two bundles on the doorstep.

Vernon Dursley came running at his wife's screech. "What's wrong, my dear?"

She shakily pointed to the two bundles on the doorstep. "We should bring them in before the neighbors see them." They each grabbed an infant and brought them inside. They then noticed the letter that was with the boy.

After reading the letter, Petunia commented, "So, we're stuck with them. Well, the boy can have Dudley's cast-offs. The girl's going to be expensive, though..."

"The letter only talks about protecting the boy," Vernon reminded his wife. "Maybe we should drop the girl off at an orphanage."

"That sounds like a good idea to me."

* * *

September 2nd, 1985 (The first is a Sunday.)

Rose Lily Potter was nervous. It was her first day of school. The people at the orphanage told her she was lucky to be able to go the school, not all orphans got that chance. The orphanage she lived in was an older one, predating World War Two, and in desperate need of repairs. The room she was given was said to be haunted. There were tales of a strange boy that lived there in the 1930s and 1940s. Rose knew she was different too, but decided to hide it so others would accept her.

She saw a small, skinny, black-haired, green-eyed boy that looked alot like her hiding under a slide. She walked up to him, sat down next to him, and asked, "Why are you hiding under a slide?"

"I'm hiding from my cousin," he replied.

"I'm Rose Potter."

He was shocked before answering, "Harry Potter."

"Do you think we could be related?" she asked him. "My parents were Lily and James Potter."

"So were mine. But if you're my sister, why don't we live together? I live with our aunt and uncle. Where do you live?"

"Wool's Orphanage," she replied. "At least we'll see each other in class."

Unknown to them at the time, after a few days of kindergarten, the teachers would move Rose up to first grade claiming she would learn nothing new in kindergarten and it would just be a waste of time. After all, that would be one less year of school having to be paid for. Rose and Harry did not see much of each other for the next five years due to them being in different grades. The year after that they did not see each other at all because Rose was now in middle school. The next time they saw each other was August first, 1991.


	2. Chapter 2: Diagon Alley

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns the wonderful Harry Potter series and the characters, places... I do not. Since this story has only an OC added, not much will change, except for when she is older and will make a bigger impact on the story line. In other words, some people will be saying and doing the same things as they do in the books.

Warning: This will be Americanized. I am from the US and therefore speak and write a different type of English than what is used in the UK. If anyone feels inclined to make it more British, let me know because if I tried that, I would probably fail at it.

Another Warning: From now on it will be told from Rose's point of view.

When I said be nice at the beginning of the last chapter that does still mean you can review. In fact, any feedback would be nice.

* * *

Chapter Two

August 1st, 1991

Today was the day I am going to be taken to Diagon Alley. Being a witch did not surprise me since I can feel magic.

There was a knock on my door. I opened it to find the matron and an older woman. "This is Professor McGonagall. She will be taking you to get your school supplies," the matron explained to me.

I left the orphanage with Professor McGonagall. The professor looked around to make sure no one was nearby before explaining as we walked. "I will be taking you to the Leaky Cauldron which has an entrance to Diagon Alley behind it. It's only a few blocks away, so we might as well walk. Since I have to meet with a muggle family whose daughter will be first attending Hogwarts this year, I will be leaving you with a colleague of mine, Rubeus Hagrid. I believe he is taking your brother to Diagon Alley today. Ah, here we are, the Leaky Cauldron."

Inside the Leaky Cauldron, there was a lot of commotion. Everyone was crowding around Harry.

"Must get on – lots ter buy. Come on, Harry. Professor McGonagall, you're here," a huge man that did not seem completely human said after seeing us. "Harry, do yeh know Rose?" Harry nodded. "Let's get goin' then Rose, I'm Rubeus Hagrid, by the way."

He took us out a back door to a brick wall. He started counting and tapping the brick wall with his umbrella. When he was done, a hole in the wall formed and started to grow exponentially until a large archway was formed.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley," Hagrid said. He grinned at the looks of amazement Harry and I had. Nearby was a shop with a stack of cauldrons of all different kinds outside of it. "Yeah, you'll be needin' one," Hagrid informed us, "but we gotta get yer money first."

At the mention of money, hope stirred in me. The orphanage was always short on money. There were some days when they did not have enough to feed us.

There were so many shops and new things around us. I could tell Harry wished he had more eyes too with the way he was looking around. With all the magic that I could feel was there, I was surprised my own magic was not doing anything strange.

We were walking towards a white building that towered over the shops. "Gringotts," Hagrid told us when we arrived there.

Near the bronze doors was a goblin in a scarlet and gold uniform. He bowed to us as we walked inside. inside was a pair of silver door with words engraved in them.

_Enter, stranger, but take heed_

_Of what awaits the sin of greed,_

_For those who take, but do not earn,_

_Must pay most dearly in their turn._

_So if you seek beneath our floors_

_A treasure that was never yours,_

_Thief, you have been warned, beware_

_Of finding more than treasure there._

"Like I said, yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it," Hagrid commented.

The pair of goblins at the doors bowed to us as we passed them into a vast marble hall. There were around a hundred goblins working at the long counter. We walked up to one that was free.

"Morning," Hagrid said to the goblin. "We've come ter take some money otta Mr. Harry and Miss. Rose Potter's safe."

"You have their key, sir?"

"Got it here somewhere." Hagrid started emptying out his pockets. After some time looking, he said, "got it," and held up a tiny golden key.

The goblin examined it, and told us, "That seems to be in order."

"An' I've also got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore. It's about the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen."

After reading the letter carefully, the goblin said, "Very well," and handed it back to Hagrid. "I will have someone take you down to both vaults. Griphook!"

Hagrid crammed everything back into his pockets, and we followed Griphook towards one of the doors leading out of the hall.

"What's the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" Harry asked Hagrid.

"Can't tell yeh that," Hagrid replied. "Very secret. Hogwarts business. Dumbledore's trusted me. More'n my job's worth ter tell yeh that."

Griphook held the door open for us. We were in a narrow stone passageway lit by torches with railway tracks on the floor. Griphook whistled and a small cart came up the tracks toward us. We climbed into the cart with Hagrid having some difficulties due to his size. The cart took us through a maze of passages.

During the ride Harry asked, "I never know, what's the difference between a stalagmite and a stalactite?"

"Stalagmite's got an 'm' in it," Hagrid replied. "An' don' ask me questions just now, I think I'm gonna be sick." He did look a bit green.

"Stalagmites grow from the floor and stalactites grow from the ceiling," I offered.

When we got out of the cart, Hagrid had to lean against the wall. When Griphook unlocked the door, a lot of green smoke came out. Harry and I gasped when the smoke cleared. It was filled with gold, silver, and bronze.

Hagrid smiled and said, "All yours." He helped us each pile some of it into a bag. "The gold ones are Galleons. Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, it's easy enough."

'Yes, just like twelve inches in a foot, three feet in a yard, and 5280 feet in a mile," I thought sarcastically.

"Right, that should be enough fer a couple o' terms, we'll keep the rest safe for yeh." Turning to Griphook, he said, "Vault seven hundred and thirteen now, please, and can we go more slowly?"

"One speed only," Griphook informed him.

"Besides, it's fun at that speed," I commented earning an are-you-crazy look from Hagrid and amused looks from Harry and Griphook.

We went even deeper underground with the cart gathering speed. The air became colder and colder. The vault we arrived at had no keyhole.

"Stand back," Griphook said before he stroked the door gently with a long finger causing the door to melt away. "If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tired that, they'd be sucked through the door and trapped in there."

"How often do you check to see if anyone's inside?" Harry asked.

"About once every ten years," Griphook replied with a nasty grin.

I was surprised to see only a small package wrapped in brown paper. Harry seemed to want to ask what it was, but refrained.

"Come on, back in this infernal cart, and don't talk to me on the way back, it's best if I keep me mouth shut," Hagrid told us.

Outside seemed very bright after being underground.

"Might as well get yer uniforms," he said nodding towards Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. "Listen, Harry, Rose, would yeh mind if I slipped off fer a pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron? I hate them Gringotts carts." He did still look sick, so we entered Madam Malkin's shop without him.

"Hogwarts, dears?" Madam Malkin asked. "Got the lot here – another young man being fitted up just now, in fact."

In the back of the shop, a second witch was pinning up the black robes of a pale boy with light blond hair. Madam Malkin turned to Rose and told her, "You're going to have to wait." She stood Harry on a stool next to the other boy, slipped a robe over his head and started to pin it.

"Hello, Hogwarts, too?" the other boy asked Harry completely ignoring me.

"Yes," Harry answered.

"My father's next door buying my books and my mother's up the street looking at wands. Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow. Have _you_ got your own broom?"

'With as stuck-up as that boy is, I am glad he is ignoring me,' I thought.

"No," Harry answered.

"Play Quidditch at all?"

"No."

"_I_ do – Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet?"

"No."

"Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family have been – imagine being in Hufflepuff. I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"

"Mmm."

"I say, look at that man!"

Hagrid was standing in front of the window, grinning and holding three ice creams.

"That's Hagrid. He works at Hogwarts."

"Oh, I've heard of him. He's a sort of servant, isn't he?"

"He's the gamekeeper."

"Yes, exactly. I heard he's a sort of _savage_ – lives in a hut on the school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic, and ends up setting fire to his bed."

"I think he's brilliant." The conversation was getting colder.

"_Do_ you? Why is he with you? Where are your parents?"

"They're dead."

"Oh, Sorry." He did not sound sorry. "But they were _our_ kind, weren't they?"

"They were a witch and wizard, if that's what you mean."

"I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same, they've never been brought up in our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old Wizarding families. What's your surname, anyway?"

Madam Malkin interrupted their conversation by saying, "That's you done, my dear." She turned to me and said, "Your turn, dear." I stood an the stool Harry was just on, and Madam Malkin threw a robe on me and started pinning it.

"Well, I'll see you at Hoqwarts, I suppose," the rude boy told Harry.

There was an awkward minute of silence after Harry left to go meet back up with Hagrid.

"You're a quiet one," he commented.

"You honestly think I want to talk to you after you were so rude to my brother," I snapped at him.

That stopped any chance of communication between us. When I was done being fitted, I bought my robes and joined Harry and Hagrid outside.

"-and he said people from Muggle families shouldn't even be allowed in-" Harry was saying. I took the ice cream Hagrid offered me with glee and gobbled it down while they talked.

"Yer not _from_ a Muggle family. If he'd known who yeh _were_ – he's grown up knowin' yer name if his parents are wizardin' folk. You saw what everyone in the Leaky Cauldron was like when they saw yeh. Anyway, what does he know about it, some o' the best I ever saw were the only ones with magic in 'em in a long line o' Muggles – look at yer mum! Look what she had fer a sister!"

"So what is Quidditch?"

"It's our sport. Wizard sport. It's like – like soccer in the Muggle world – everyone follows Quidditch – played up in the air on broomsticks and there's four balls – sorta hard ter explain the rules."

"And what are Slytherin and Hufflepuff?"

"School houses. There's four. Everyone says Hufflepuff are a lot o' duffers, but –"

"I bet I'm in Hufflepuff," Harry said gloomily.

"Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin," Hagrid said darkly. "There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin. You-Know-Who was one."

"Vol-, Sorry – You-Know-Who was at Hogwarts?"

"Years an' years ago."

My ice cream is all gone…

Flourish and Blotts should be renamed Paradise. The shelves were stacked with books that went to the ceiling. I bought my school books along with a few others like _Hogwarts: A History_. Since family lines seemed _so_ important to some people, I also bought a book on wizard genealogy.

After Flourish and Blotts, we bought cauldrons, scales for weighing potion ingredients, collapsible brass telescopes, and potion ingredients. Outside the Apothecary, Hagrid checked the list.

"Just yer wands left – oh yeah, an' I still haven't got yeh a birthday present."

Harry's face went red. "You don't have to –"

While they were talking, I saw Magical Menagerie. I felt a pull towards it and followed that pull. It led me to this kitten that looked part snake. Instead of fur, its body was covered in black scales. The sign on the cage read 'Misty, Breed: Unknown, but is believed to be a cross between a cat and a snake (previous owner liked to experiment with cross-breeding), likes water, a very good mouser, and will appear to be a normal cat when Muggles look at it. Gender: Female.'

I reached in the cage hissing, "Hello Misty," in a language I normally avoid using and grabbed her. She seemed to lean into my hands, and then started licking them with her fork-like tongue. I grabbed everything I needed to take care of her and headed to the counter.

The man behind the counter seemed shocked that I was holding her. "But…but…she never lets anyone hold her…" he stammered in shock. "Fifteen Galleons." I paid the money and left to find Harry and Hagrid. I found them outside of Ollivanders. Harry was holding a cage with a snowy owl in it.

"Where were yeh?"Hagrid asked after seeing me. I held up Misty in response. "Harry, here, already has his wand. In yeh go. We'll just be waitin' out here."

Inside there were thousands of narrow boxes neatly piled to the ceiling. The shop also seemed to have a strange type of magic. It just felt…strange.

"Good afternoon," an old man said seeming to appear from nowhere.

"Hello," I timidly replied.

"Ah yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Rose Potter. Your brother was just in here. You look more like your mother than he does, except your hair is reddish-black. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work. Let me see." He pulled out a tape measure. "Which is your wand arm?"

"My right," I answered.

"Hold out your arm. That's it." He then started measuring random parts of me. "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Miss. Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand. That will do." The tape measure stopped measuring me. "Right then, Miss. Potter. Try this one. Willow wood and phoenix feather. Nine inches. Just take it and give it a wave." After barely even moving it, he snatched it out of my hand saying, "Not quite right."

After I started to form a pile of failed wands, he said, "Tricky customer like your brother. Try this one. Acacia wood with phoenix feather. Ten and three quarters inches long." As soon as I touched it, I felt a warmth go through me. "Acacia is not suited to what is commonly known as 'bangs-and-smells' magic and best suits those of sufficient subtlety. Acacia wands are also temperamental."

I paid the seven Galleons and walked back out to Harry and Hagrid. We went back to the Leaky Cauldron and found Professor McGonagall waiting. After a quick "Bye Harry," she took me back to the orphanage.

Before we reached the orphanage, Professor McGonagall handed me my train ticket and explained, "To get to platform nine and three quarters, walk through the barrier between platforms nine and ten. You should see others doing it as well."

* * *

AN: I imagined Ollivander would say some of the same things to Rose as he did to Harry. I got the information about acacia wood from Pottermore.

The next update may not be for a while. I had a good portion of this chapter written when I posted the first chapter, and I hardly started the next chapter.


	3. Chapter 3: Journey to Hogwarts

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns the wonderful Harry Potter series and the characters, places... I do not. Since this story has only an OC added, not much will change, except for when she is older and will make a bigger impact on the story line. In other words, some people will be saying and doing the same things as they do in the books except for a few small changes.

Warning: This will be Americanized. I am from the US and therefore speak and write a different type of English than what is used in the UK. If anyone feels inclined to make it more British, let me know because if I tried that, I would probably fail at it.

I changed the boat scene at the end.

Chapter Three

September 1st, 1991

I was dropped off at King's Cross and headed to platforms nine and ten as Professor McGonagall instructed me. When I got there, I saw Harry go up to a red-haired woman and her two red-haired children saying "Excuse me."

"Hello, dear," the woman said to him. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too." She pointed to her son.

"Yes. The thing is – the thing is, I don't know how to –"

"How to get onto the platform?" Harry nodded. "Not to worry. All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron."

"Er – okay." He looked at the barrier for a while before he walked towards it. As he got closer, he walked faster and faster until he was running. He went straight through the barrier.

I waited for the family of redheads to go through before casually walking through.

The platform was packed with people. I went in the first empty compartment I could find. I pulled _The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)_ out of my trunk, sat down, and started reading it where I last left off which was most of the way through the book.

A few minutes later, a couple of dark-haired Slytherins came in. The younger of the two looked to be a few years older than me. The older one looked to be a few years older than the other boy.

"Oh, look, a little first year is in our compartment," the older one commented to the younger one.

I raised an eyebrow. "And what marks this compartment as yours?"

"I think we are dealing with a future Gryffindor, Pucey," the older one snickered.

"Now I feel a little insulted considering I don't exactly lack a little something called self-preservation."

"Maybe there is hope for you to become a fellow snake yet. I'm Marcus Flint, and this is Adrian Pucey." He pointed to the younger Slytherin next to him as he said the last part.

"Rose."

"And your last name?"

"Do you know how many people judge others because of who they are related to even if they are not like to rest of their family?" The Slytherins gave me strange looks. "I come from a family of Gryffindors," I murmured while looking at the floor.

The Slytherins snickered. "So, I guess we'll just be calling you Rose," Flint told me. "Just keep in mind if you're not sorted into Slytherin, this is the last time we are going to be nice to you."

"You make it sound like I would be in Gryffindor if I'm not in Slytherin. Besides, I have too much common sense to be in Gryffindor." Both Slytherins chuckled. "If I am somehow not in Slytherin, I'll probably be in Ravenclaw."

"If you are sorted into Slytherin, you will definitely be my favorite first year. So, do you like Quidditch?"

"Unfortunately, I've never had the chance to see a game. I'm pretty sure reading books about it does not do it justice. Although, my father was a chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch team."

"Please tell me you at least have ridden a broom before."

"One doesn't really get a chance when growing up in a muggle orphanage."

"I thought your parents were magical. How did you end up in a _muggle orphanage_?"

"My parents died during the war, and my only living relatives weren't willing to take in two kids. So they took in my brother and dropped me off at the orphanage."

"They left one of their family members at a muggle orphanage!"

"Yes," I replied timidly. "Same orphanage You-Know-Who lived in if the named carved into the wall near the floor is anything to go by."

Flint seemed to have gone into shock. Pucey has been in shock since I mentioned I've never seen a game of Quidditch before.

It was then a woman slid open the door to our compartment asking "Anything off the cart, dears?"

That seemed to snap them out of it since they got up to buy candy. I ended up buying some Chocolate Frogs. The one I ate (I was planning on saving the rest for later) read:

SALAZAR SLYTHERIN

One of the four celebrated Founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Salazar Slytherin was one of the first recorded Parselmouths, an accomplished Legilimens, and a notorious champion of pureblood supremacy.

"Hey, you got Salazar Slytherin," Flint commented after seeing which Chocolate Frog I got. "And don't worry, if you're sorted into Slytherin, we'll find a way to get you out of that orphanage."

It was at that moment Misty decided to jump out from under the seat where she was spending the train ride onto Pucey's lap.

"What in Merlin's name are you?" Pucey asked while staring at Misty.

"A kitten," I answered him. "Come here, Misty."

Misty jumped off Pucey's lap onto the floor and walked over to me. I scooped her up and set her in my lap.

"But it has scales!" Pucey exclaimed while still staring at Misty.

"Her original owner liked to experiment with cross-breeding. Not even the people at Magical Menagerie were sure what species she is all. However, she does enjoy belly rubs." I started rubbing her belly while grabbing my book so I could continue reading it. The train ride is, after all, hours long.

"Are you sure you won't be in Ravenclaw instead of Slytherin?" Flint asked.

"Doing well in school helps ones future. Not everyone can be a professional Quidditch player."

I spent the next few hours reading. During those few hours, I finished _The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)_ and started to reread _Magical Drafts and Potions_.

I figured that we had to be close to Hogwarts. So, I grabbed my robes and left to change.

On the way back to the compartment, I heard a voice say "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train; it will be taken to the school separately."

When I got back to the compartment, I put the clothes I was wearing into my trunk.

After getting off the train, I saw Hagrid yelling, "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry? C'mon, follow me – any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!" We followed him down a steep, narrow path. "Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec, jus' round this bend here."

A whole bunch of people said, "Ooh!" I just stared in awe at the sight of the castle on the other side of the lake.

No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called while pointing to a fleet of boats near the shore. I climbed into the same boat as Harry, a redheaded boy, and another boy that looked a little sad. "Everyone in? Right then – FORWARD!"

"Hi Harry," I said to Harry causing him to look at me with a surprised look on his face.

"Where did you come from, Rose?" he asked causing me to laugh.

"Did you really not notice me getting on the boat?" I took his face gaining a tint of red as a yes. "You might want to work on your observation skills." His face got even redder causing me to laugh more.

"You know her, Harry?" the redheaded boy asked.

"Ron, this is my younger twin sister, Rose," Harry answered him.

"Hey! I'm only younger by a few minutes," I said with a pouting expression.

"I'm Neville Longbottom," the other boy said timidly.

I look at the water and noticed a black shape swimming in it. Looking closer I realized it was Misty. "Misty get over here!" I scooped her out of the lake when she was close enough. "What do you think you were doing swimming in the lake? You shouldn't even like the water." She just meowed at me.

Hagrid yelled, "Heads down!" as the first boats reached a cliff. We went through a dark tunnel until we reached an underground harbor. Hagrid checked the boats as we climbed out of them. "Oy, you there! Is this your toad?"

Neville ran forward grabbing the toad as he cried, "Trevor!"

We went through a passageway that led to the grass near the castle.


	4. Chapter 4: The Sorting

Disclaimer and Warning: See first three chapters

This was originally going to be part of the last chapter, but since this part was taking so long I decided to split it into two parts. If you did not notice, the boat scene in the last chapter changed.

* * *

Chapter Four: The Sorting

We walked up a flight of stone steps and crowed around the huge, oak front door.

"Everyone here? You there still got yer toad?" Hagrid asked before knocking three times and the front door. The door swung open to reveal Professor McGonagall wearing emerald-green robes. "The firs' years, Professor McGonagall."

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

We followed her through the entrance hall into a small, empty chamber. On the way, I dropped Misty off where the rest of the pets were temporally being kept.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. The start-of-term banquet will began shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of our house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." I followed her gaze to Neville. His cloak was fasten under his left ear. I also noticed Harry trying to flatten his hair. "I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly," she said, then left.

Some of my fellow year mates started discussing various ways they thought we would be sorted. Ron thought it would be some sort of painful test. A girl with bushy hair was whispering a bunch of spells. Suddenly, some of my year mates screamed. About twenty ghosts came through the back wall.

The one that looked like a monk was saying, "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance –"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost – I say, what are you all doing here," a ghost wearing a ruff and tights said after noticing us. Nobody answered.

"New students!" the Friar exclaimed smiling at us. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?" A few nodded. "Hope to see you in Hufflepuff! My old house, you know."

"Move along now," the sharp voice of Professor McGonagall said. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start." The ghosts floated away through the opposite wall. "Now, form a line and follow me." I ended up near the girl with busy hair that was whispering spells earlier.

The Great Hall was bigger than I imagined. We were being led by Professor McGonagall towards the table where the professors were sitting. I heard the girl with busy hair whisper, "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in _Hogwarts, A History_." I would guess that she would be a future Ravenclaw, but she seems too bossy and a bit of a show-off. I looked back towards the front of the Hall and saw Professor McGonagall put an old hat on a stool. It twitched for a bit then started to sing.

"_Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarted hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_If you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

The whole hall burst into applause when the hat finished its song. The Hat bowed to each of the tables before becoming still again.

"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Ron whispered to Harry. "I'll kill Fred. He was going on about wrestling a troll."

Wrestle a troll? They want to sort us, not kill us.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the Hat and sit on the stool to be sorted. Abbott, Hannah!"

"A girl with blond pigtails walked forward and put on the Hat. After a moment's pause, the Hat shouted, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Brocklehurst, Mandy!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Brown, Lavender!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Bulstrode, Millicent!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Corner, Michael!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Cornfoot, Stephen!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Crabbe, Vincent!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Davis, Tracey!"

"SLTHERIN!"

"Dunbar, Fay!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Finnigan, Seamus!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Goldstein, Anthony!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Goyle, Gregory!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Granger, Hermione!"

The bossy, bushy haired girl almost ran to put the Hat on her head. "GRYFFINDOR!" the Hat shouted which did not surprise me too much given how bossy she was.

"Greengrass, Daphne!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Hopkins, Wayne!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Jones, Megan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Li, Sue!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Longbottom, Neville!"

After the Hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!" he ran off with the Hat still on. There was laughter as he ran to give it back which made me feel sorry for him.

"MacDougal, Isobel!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Macmillan, Ernie!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Malfoy, Draco!"

Ah, the rude boy from Madam Malkin's. He swaggered forward. The Hat barely touched his head before it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"

"Nott, Theodore!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Parkinson, Pansy!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Patil, Padma!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Patil, Parvati!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Potter, Harry!"

The hall broke out in whispers when Harry stepped forward. The Hat took a while to decide before yelling, "GYFFINDOR!"

Harry looked relieved and also had the loudest cheer yet. Two redhead twins yelled, "We got Potter! We got Potter!"

"Potter, Rose!"

The hall broke out in whispers again as I walked towards the Hat. Someone actually yelled, "There's another one?"

"You're even more like a Slytherin than your brother, and apparently not as opposed to it as your brother," the Hat commented. "Although, you do have that bookworm tendency that Ravenclaws have. However, you're more of a Slytherin or Gryffindor especially since you have the blood of both Founders in you." This is becoming quite informative, but how am I like a Gryffindor? "Your temper," the Hat replied. That was not in your song. "But it is still a trait that is more likely found in Gryffindors. So, no objections to Slytherin like your brother who I still say would have done well in Slytherin." What happened there? "He kept whispering 'Not Slytherin.'" Ah. "SLYTHERIN!"

The Hall was dead silent due to everyone being shocked that a Potter ended up in Slytherin. I just walked to the Slytherin table with my head held high determined not to let their reaction affect me. I noticed the older Slytherins from the train wave me over to them. I sat down next to them saying, "Told you I would be in Slytherin."

"You forgot to mention you were a Potter," Flint responded.

"But I did mention I was from a family of Gryffindors. Although, my paternal grandmother was a Black so some of my more distant relatives are Slytherins." I turned back to the front of the Hall to watch the rest of the Sorting.

"Rivers, Oliver!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Thomas, Dean!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Turpin, Lisa!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Weasley, Ron!" So that is what his last name is.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

He collapsed on the Gryffindor table next to Harry.

"Zabini, Blaise!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

Professor McGonagall rolled up the scroll and took the Sorting Hat away. The Headmaster stood and beamed at us with his arms open wide. "Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!" People clapped and cheered.

Seeing the food appear in front of me, I said, "Food!" earning me a few looks from fellow Slytherins. "What? I'm hungry." Some of them looked a little amused.

I looked in Malfoy's direction and noticed he looked uncomfortable with a ghost that looked like it was covered in silver blood next to him. "Malfoy, you look a little uncomfortable over there?" He glared at me.

"You do realize his father has a lot of influence on the school board and at the Ministry?" an older Slytherin asked me.

"And I don't care."

After a while of eating, one of the older Slytherins asked, "How can you eat so much?"

"While considering I missed lunch due to the train ride, and no, I do not consider the sweets they offer lunch, why won't I be very hungry?"

The Headmaster stood again and the Hall fell silent. "Ahem – just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well." He looked in the direction of the redhead twins on the Gryffindor table.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.

"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.

"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death." So is it not out of bounds for those who wish to die? And I thought this was a school. There should not be anything life-threating to the students in a school.

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" He used his wand to create a long golden ribbon with the words on it. "Everyone pick their favorite tune and off we go!" Everyone pick their own tune? That will sound terrible.

"_Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_

_Teach us something please,_

_Whether we be old and bald,_

_Or young with scabby knees,_

_Our heads could do with filling_

_With some interesting stuff,_

_For now they're bare and full of air,_

_Dead flies and bits of fluff,_

_So teach us things worth knowing,_

_Bring back what we've forgot,_

_Just do your best, we'll do the rest,_

_And learn until our brains all rot."_

Most of the Slytherins, including me, chose not to sing it. I was too busy trying to cover my ears. The last to finish were the redhead twins singing a very slow funeral march. The Headmaster conducted their last lines with his wand.

"Ah, music," the Headmaster said wiping his eyes. Music? That was too painful to listen to for it to be called music. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

I followed the rest of my house down to the dungeons. We walked up to a stone wall. One of the prefects said, "Salazar" and the stone moved aside allowing us to enter the common room.

"The boys' dormitory is to the left and the girls' is on the right," one of the prefect informed us. "The other three houses will probably hate you, so please no inter-house fighting in front of them. Keep all your quarrels in Slytherin territory. If you plan on breaking any rules, for Merlin's sake don't get caught. Now get to bed."

Two of my dorm mates, Parkinson and Bulstrode, glared at me when I entered the dorm room. The other two looked like they were trying to analyze me.

"A Potter in Slytherin," Parkinson sneered.

"Considering my paternal grandmother was a Black, is it really that surprising?" I asked.

"Some of your facial features do remind me of the Blacks," Greengrass commented.

"Now, I believe we were told to go to bed. How about we actually follow that order?" The other girls seemed to agree with me as we all went to bed.

* * *

AN: That was longer than I thought it would be. Anyway, since college starts this month, I have no idea when I will be able to write and post the next chapter.


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